[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

The graphite mask being discussed that +POS sold under its nameplate was made by AllStar. I have one with the AllStar nameplate. I bought it brand new from Torch's Referee & Umpire's Supplies in 1998. It is extremely light but I do not use it in cold weather. I used to use it for both baseball and fastpitch softball but have used exclusively for fastpitch softball the last three years. I have taken numerous shots to the face and have never had a problem.

The stories about how guys have had their graphite masks crack when it by a batted ball coming back at them probably happened during cold weather. Torch even had a customer who suffered a broken nose when his graphite mask broke after being hit by a batted ball Spring 2001. The ironic thing is that the summer of 2001, I umpired for Torch in the AAU Boys' 16U National Inv. Baseball Tourn. and he was behind the backstop when I took a shot square the face. The sound was very load and he had a very shocked look on his face. But I just looked back at him and grinned. I hadn't felt a thing.

MTD, Sr.